The Need

UV LEDs, particularly those operating at shorter wavelengths, face persistent challenges in achieving high optical efficiency. Conventional device architectures can suffer from significant internal absorption and inefficient light extraction, limiting wall-plug efficiency and increasing power requirements. These limitations constrain the performance, lifetime, and cost-effectiveness of UV LED systems and create a need for device architectures that improve light extraction while maintaining efficient carrier injection and compatibility with advanced III-nitride semiconductor platforms.

The Technology

OSU engineers have developed a family of tunnel-junction UV LED architectures designed to improve light extraction efficiency from III-nitride devices. The approach combines tunnel-junction-based carrier injection with engineered device geometries that promote extraction of both major light-polarization modes. The architecture provides multiple configurations for controlling how generated UV photons interact with the device structure, enabling more efficient conversion of internally generated light into useful external emission.

Commercial Applications

• High-efficiency UV-C LEDs for disinfection, sterilization, and water treatment
• UV light sources for sensing, spectroscopy, and analytical instrumentation
• Industrial and semiconductor photolithography or curing systems
• UV LEDs for communications, environmental monitoring, and specialized illumination

Benefits/Advantages

• Improved light extraction: Device architectures are designed to reduce internal optical losses and increase useful external emission.
• Higher efficiency potential: Tunnel-junction injection can support more efficient carrier management in wide-bandgap UV LEDs.
• Short-wavelength suitability: Addresses extraction challenges that become increasingly significant in shorter-wavelength UV devices.
• Design flexibility: Multiple device geometries and configurations provide opportunities to optimize performance for different UV LED designs and manufacturing approaches.